Guess the word (Multilingual game)

backgrounds shop
daily and global stats
leaderboards
guess the word

Inspiration

The global popularity of word puzzle games inspired me to create something that brings people together across language barriers. I wanted to build more than just another word game :) I envisioned a comprehensive multilingual experience that would connect English, French, and Spanish speakers in friendly competition while celebrating the beauty of language diversity.

What it does

"Guess the Word" is a sophisticated multilingual word puzzle game where players guess 5-letter words in 6 tries. The game features daily challenges with streak bonuses, a comprehensive points system, competitive leaderboards, and a collectible background system. Players can switch between English, French, and Spanish, with each language offering its own word lists and daily challenges while maintaining cross-language competition.

Game Rules:

• Guess the 5-letter word in 6 tries

• 🟩 Green = Right letter, right spot | 🟨 Yellow = Right letter, wrong spot | ⬛ Gray = Letter not in word

• Points: 1 guess = 12pts, 2 = 8pts, 3 = 5pts, 4 = 3pts, 5 = 2pts, 6 = 1pt

• Daily challenges: 2x-5x points based on streak (0-6 days = 2x, 7-29 days = 3x, 30+ days = 5x)

• Hints cost 3 points each to reveal one correct letter

How I built it

I built the entire experience as a single, comprehensive TypeScript component using Horizon Worlds' Custom UI system. The game features a rotated 270-degree interface optimized for portrait mobile play, with animations, sound effects, and visual feedback. I implemented persistent storage for player statistics, leaderboards, and a dynamic UI that adapts to different languages while maintaining consistent gameplay mechanics across all three supported languages.

Challenges I ran into

The biggest challenge was implementing a fair daily challenge system across multiple languages while maintaining consistent difficulty. I solved this by using synchronized date-based word selection that ensures all players get words of equivalent difficulty regardless of their chosen language (Thank you GenAI). I also overcame complex UI management issues, particularly with keyboard color states and streak calculations, requiring careful debugging of timing and priority systems.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

I am most proud of creating a truly inclusive multilingual experience that doesn't compromise on features. This game includes 9 comprehensive leaderboards, a sophisticated daily challenge system with streak multipliers, 80+ collectible backgrounds (most of them generated with Gen AI), and a beautiful leaderboard viewer with smooth navigation. The technical achievement of handling three languages seamlessly while maintaining fair competition and comprehensive statistics tracking represents hours and hours of careful development and refinement. I am new to coding, so I had to ask hundreds of questions to Gen ai, so... big Shout out to you Gen Ai!

What I learned

Building for mobile-first in Horizon Worlds taught me the importance of thoughtful UI design and user experience optimization. I learned how to implement complex state management systems, handle multilingual content effectively, and create engaging progression mechanics that keep players returning daily. The project also taught me valuable lessons about debugging timing-sensitive systems and implementing robust data persistence.

What's next for Guess the Word (Multilingual game)

I plan to expand language support to include more languages like German, Portuguese, and Italian. I'm also exploring adding themed word categories (animals, food, science), implementing seasonal events with special backgrounds and bonuses, and creating team-based challenges where players can form multilingual groups.